Author: Chris Kelley

Link Building Strategies and Resources for Busy Marketers

In the past, link building focused on quantity, not quality.

Today? Link building is a different ball game.

If you’re building a link building strategy, it’s important to know that it won’t be instant. It’s a gradual process—at least, if you do it right.

The pages where you build links, specifically the quality and authority of those pages, play a key role in determining how high you’ll rank in search engine results.

This is where blogging comes in. You’ll get 434 percent more indexed pages when you blog consistently, and your inbound links will grow by 97 percent.

Beyond blogging, though, there are other proven ways to build the best links and raise your ranking in the SERPs.

This blog post will show you 13 fool-proof link building strategies you can put to work today. They’re especially helpful for busy marketers who have a lot on their plate and want to stay mindful of their standing with search engines.

Why Is Link Building so Important?

Link building is important for search engine optimization (SEO). It’s one of the major factors search engines use to determine rankings, meaning who gets the first-page search result.

When deciding how to rank your website, Google, Bing, Yahoo, and other search engines look at how many links lead to your site (and the quality of those links).

The more high-quality, trustworthy, and authoritative sites linking to you, the higher your blog posts and sales pages will appear on search result pages.

Beyond that, links to your website help users find your site and can increase traffic and trust. After all, users are more likely to trust you if other sites think you know what you are talking about.

13 Link Building Strategies for Marketers

So, how do you get high-quality links from other websites? By following my link building strategies.

These are the strategies I’ve used over the last ten years to build up Neil Patel Digital and become an authority in the digital marketing space.

Experiment and find a strategy or strategies that work best for you and your business.

1. Use Strategic Guest Blogging

Is guest blogging dead? Yes and no.

The old way of mass guest blogging just for links is dead. You don’t want to post an article on a site that’s not relevant to your niche and has zero authority just to get a backlink.

That style of guest blogging won’t cut it. The search engines are smart and can see you’re not guest blogging to add value.

If you want to reap the rewards of guest blogging, you need to be strategic and authentic. Make sure you’re creating a unique piece of content for the other site (for example, a case study) and that the site is relevant, authoritative, and attracts your audience.

When you guest blog selectively, you’ll reap the rewards of higher rankings, increased traffic, and qualified leads.

2. Create and Distribute Infographics

Infographics still work today and can play a vital role in your link building strategy.

The good thing about infographics is you’ll continually generate organic traffic to your blog and earn quality links without even asking for them. 

I found that articles with infographics earn 178 percent more links. This makes creating infographics a link building tactic that you can’t afford to ignore. 

Link Building Strategies for Marketers - Create and Distribute Infographics

If you’re ready to create and promote your infographic, see the links below:

3. Get Active on Social Media

Social media networks have revolutionized marketing and can be a huge boon for your link building plan and guest post efforts. If you’re not active on social media, then you’re doing your brand a disservice.

Become active by sharing new posts, images, and updates. Help your fans find what they want to see by sharing it in more places using social media.

When you get active on social media, you can easily boost engagement, even if you’re new to it. Consequently, you’ll expose your brand and site to more people who could share your best posts with their target audience.

This will improve your link profile and bolster your visibility overall.

See also:

4. Use Resource Links From Trusted Sites

It’s time to start using resource links from trusted sites. A resource is like a guide that you create or compile for your target audience.

Some authority sites and blogs like Forbes, Entrepreneur, Huffington Post, Jeff Bullas, Social Media Examiner, and Copyblogger have resource pages that you could tap into as you’re creating yours.

If a leading site in your niche has compiled a list of blogs in your industry, their visitors can more easily find what they’re looking for.

Here’s an example from Copyblogger. 

If you can create an even bigger resource article than the one above, you’ll get more backlinks. You can expand yours to 25, 50, or more.

Here are some fresh headline ideas that you can model for your resource:

  • 25 Copywriting Blogs That Will Make You More Money
  • 50 Copywriting Blogs You Didn’t Know Existed
  • 27 Copywriting and Content Marketing Blogs That Will Send You Free Traffic

This kind of resource can be a great tool for a marketing team. After it’s written, get links through email outreach. Send a simple email to all of the people whose blogs you included.

I once sent emails to 30 bloggers whom I referenced in my resource post. Twelve of them linked to my resource page within ten days, and I got lots of social love.

Email outreach tends to work better than the typical broken link or link request email because you’ve linked to them first.

You’ve established a certain level of trust, and you’ve shown some appreciation to them as well. They’ll be more inclined to reciprocate your generosity by linking to your web page.

5. Leverage the Broken Links Strategy

The broken link strategy may be the best way to go if you’re too busy to write content for your blog or a guest post.

As a busy marketer, I know you’ve got limited time to write content. That’s one reason why a large number of B2C content marketers struggle to create engaging content for their customers.

How does broken link building work?

This link building strategy is simple: Find pages on blogs with dead links (links that no longer work) and suggest replacing the broken link with a link to similar content on your own site.

If I linked to a particular web page from my Neil Patel blog and found the links to be dead, I could easily replace it with another relevant and high-value resource. If that high-value page belongs to you, that’s both search engine optimization juice and a valuable link.

There are several in-depth guides to help you understand the concept of broken link building and how to get it right the first time. You’ll find these resources really helpful:

6. Grow Your Personal Brand

One of the top link building strategies is growing your brand. Your brand evolves from your thoughts, then begins to express itself externally.

When it comes to link building that works, recognize that people will naturally link to you as your personal brand grows.

What do I mean by that? Let’s pause for a moment here.

While different definitions might circle through the marketing world, a natural link is a link that’s a) editorially earned, and b) organic in the context it appears.

It’s not part of a sponsorship or paid in any way. Often, a natural link gives credit where credit’s due, and it’s something every pro blogger should be after.

I’ve watched how powerful a natural link can be. Whenever I publish a new blog post, within 24 hours, I usually see new links from authority blogs.

Earning that comes back to the quality of your content and your brand. In a sense, your brand represents you. My definition of a brand is “your representative when you’re not there.”

I’ve been marketing online for over a decade. Throughout this time, one of the most effective strategies I used to grow my personal brand was consistent blogging. When you blog consistently, you get more attention.

If link building is part of your strategy, get serious about blogging. You’ll get 97 percent more inbound links, and that will also improve your search engine rankings.

Link Building Strategies for Marketers - Grow Your Personal Brand

7. Check Competitors’ Backlinks

If your competitors are ranking higher than you in the search engines, they may be on the right track. You can be there, too.

There’s nothing as powerful as spying on your competitors to know where their links are coming from.

Spying on your competitors helps you see what keywords they’re ranking for, where their best links are coming from, and what they’re currently doing that helps them succeed is called “competitive analysis.”

So how do you check your competitor’s backlinks?

Follow these steps:

  • Step 1: Go to Ubersuggest and type in your competitor’s domain into the search bar.
Link Building Strategies for Marketers - Check Competitors' Backlinks
  • Step 2: On the results page, click on the backlinks box.
Link Building Strategies for Marketers - use Ubersuggest to Check Competitors' Backlinks
  • Step 3: Scroll down to see a list of sites linking to your competitor.
Link Building Strategies for Marketers - Use Ubersuggest to Check Backlinks

When you know which sites your competitors are generating their backlinks from, you’ve won half the battle—now you can focus on sites that are yielding results instead of reinventing the wheel.

8. Replicate Your Competitor’s Best Links

Now that you know where your competitors got their links, you need to answer the next question: How can you replicate their success?

For example, if you find several links are from related blogs, especially on the author profile, it’s obvious that guest blogging is working for them.

If their links are from corporate sites, your competitors are probably getting links through outreach and networking.

On the other hand, if their links are from high-value sites such as Entrepreneur, Forbes, CNN, Huffington Post, and the like, then you should know that a columnist or editor is likely involved, and this might be a paid placement.

Use Ubersuggest to help you focus on the links with a high domain and page authority. You want natural links from websites that Google (and the rest of your industry) already view as a thought leader.

9. Create Link Building Roundups

If you want the right links, you’ve got to give first. Don’t be selfish with your posts by linking to your internal pages only. Learn to link out to other useful blog posts.

Link roundups are a powerful method of networking and a great link building strategy. All you need to do is create a list of blog posts from other bloggers.

How do you create link roundups?

First, find blog posts that are relevant to your topic. For example, if you want to compile a list of 50 blogs that deal with headline writing, you’d simply go to Google and try this search string:

intitle: roundup “YOUR KEYWORD”

You also want to pay attention to your traffic and current link profile. More blogs in your industry may be linking to your posts. When writing your roundup posts, start with the blogs that have sent you traffic.

Remember when you do a roundup post, don’t link solely to your internal pages. Site owners may not be inspired to link back to you because you didn’t use the principle of reciprocity.

Link to their posts, and they’ll be more likely to reciprocate by linking to your resource page.

10. Keep Track of Your Backlinks

Most people spend time and money to get new links, but they don’t track their status.

If you don’t track your backlinks, how will you know whether to build more or pause? You may have over 800 links pointing to your web pages right now, but when you check it after 30 to 60 days, some of the links might be gone.

Why?

You don’t have control over the blogs and authority sites that link to you. The site owners can easily remove your link from their post or resource page without notifying you.

This is why it’s important to monitor your backlinks.

If you’re not sure of the number of backlinks your site currently has, here’s how to find out.

  • Step 1: Visit Ubersuggest, type in your site’s URL, and click on “search.”
  • Step 2: Click on the backlinks box.
  • Step 3: Scroll down, and you’ll see a graph detailing links you’ve gained and lost.
Link Building Strategies for Marketers - Keep Track of Your Backlinks

Besides seeing who is linking to you, the backlinks tool also shows each site’s anchor text, DA, and page authority.

There’s also a graph showing your backlinks over time. This is useful to see if your link building strategies are paying off or if it’s time to try something new.

Link Building Strategies for Marketers - Keep Track of Your Backlinks with Ubersuggest

11. Establish Content Pillars

If you want people to take your content seriously, then you’ve got to write things that make people think. Create useful content, content that actually helps them do something, and the links will follow.

Content is the lifeblood of your online business. Whether you’re selling information products, like e-books or software, or you’re into physical products, like digital cameras and hard copy books, you’ve got to give people a reason to publicize you.

The challenge of creating content is frequency.

How often should you publish new content for your target audience?

Constantly bombarding them with one blog post after another may not be helpful, as it generally leads to information overload.

The real challenge is when and how often you need to publish new content for your prospects and customers. Some customers don’t mind if you posted daily, but it seems like a boatload of work to others.

This leaves you with two options:

  • ask your customers questions
  • create pillar content once in a while

You’ll likely get different responses from your email subscribers, blog readers, prospects, and customers if you follow the first option. This ends up complicating things.

The second option is a lot better. Instead of regularly creating and publishing new content, you can save yourself the hassle and create pillar content regularly.

What is pillar content?

According to Yaro Starak it is: 

“A pillar article is usually a tutorial style article aimed to teach your audience something. Generally they are longer than 500 words and have lots of very practical tips or advice…This style of article has long term appeal, stays current (it isn’t news or time dependent) and offers real value and insight.”

When you start creating pillar content, you’ll no longer struggle to write and publish new posts every day of the week, yet your traffic will grow.

Instead, you’ll bring in traffic from users and other sites that are interested in the valuable content you’ve created.

If you want to increase conversion rate, generate organic and referral traffic and improve your search rankings, spend more time creating pillar content. It’s a great way to improve your link profile. 

You could format your content pillar using the “how-to” style, as in this example from Yaro Starak:

Link Building Strategies for Marketers - Establish Content Pillars

Alternatively, you could make your post a top list, like this one from Wordtracker.com:

link building guide - pillar post example

12. Reclaim Links Through Social Mentions

Link reclamation is a popular topic in search engine optimization and the social media world. You can reclaim broken 404 links and name drops that don’t link to your blog.

Check your Google Analytics for 404 pages that people link to, then point them to another active and relevant page while you fix the 404 pages. 

Alternatively, you could just go ahead and fix your broken page to reclaim your links.

However, we’re particularly concerned about link reclamation through social mentions.

If you’ve been monitoring your brand and social media mentions using Google Alerts and not taking advantage of those mentions, then you’ve been making a mistake.

When you publish infographics with an attribution code below the graphic, your goal is to get people to embed the code on their blogs and link back to you.

How many of these people use your code or link back to the primary source?

I design and promote lots of helpful infographics. A lot of sites may decide to publish my infographics for their readers to enjoy.

They’re supposed to credit my blog, but what if they saved the graphic and just uploaded it to their blog post? How do I reclaim what rightfully belongs to me, the link?

Follow these simple steps:

  • Step 1: Use Google Images Search. Do a keyword search for the complete title of your infographic.
  • Step 2: Click your infographic and visit the page. Check whether your link is attributed correctly or not.
Link Building Strategies for Marketers - Reclaim Links Through Social Mentions

You can see that Tomer Harel linked to my infographic page on QuickSprout.

Beyond infographics, you may want to know who is mentioning your blog URL. You can ask for the link once you discover that your name or URL was mentioned but not linked to your web page.

13. Earn Editorial Links

Editorial links don’t happen by chance. You create them by providing value. This is what Google has been after since the first Google Panda, Penguin, Hummingbird, and Mobile-geddon updates.

Editorial links are the most valuable and sought-after links because they’re freely given by sites that aren’t looking for anything in return.

The nature of editorial links is this: your content must be compelling before people link to it.

If all of your links are acquired or built manually, you’ll struggle to retain all of them, and Google may penalize you because you can’t be that careful all of the time. To avoid wasting time and effort, why not focus on producing great content?

Yes, I know that I’ve said it over 50 times in the past 30 days, but if it weren’t important, I’d have ignored it. I create high-quality content every day, and thousands of people link to it. My link profile thanks me for it.

To earn editorial links, you can start blogging with a strategy. Write content that will help people move from Point A to Point B. Create more tutorials and pillar content and make sure that you include accurate data in all of your content.

Read this guide on how to create better content that will earn you editorial links. 

Link Building FAQs

Is link building dead?

No. It’s changed from focusing on the number of backlinks to the quality of backlinks.

What is a link building strategy?

The practice of gaining links back to your website to improve your authority and search engine rankings. Common link building strategies include creating infographics and guest posting.

Do I need permission to backlink to another site?

No, you do not need permission to link to another site.

What’s the most common link building strategy?

Guest blogging is one of the most popular link building strategies. It’s all about creating quality content people want to link back to.

What’s the best way to find the authority of a website that gives you a backlink?

Use a tool like Ubersuggest to find the Domain Authority for websites that give you backlinks.

Link Building Strategies Conclusion

Your website’s link profile is one of the most crucial factors in ranking in search engine results. Remember, Google doesn’t care so much about how many links point to your pages, but rather about the experience you create for users.

Be smart and strategic about blogging, social media marketing, search engine optimization, and any other marketing techniques you use to build links.  

Your real challenge isn’t link building, but earning quality, trusted, and natural links. That’s because it’s no longer about the number of links—it’s the quality that matters. 

Follow these fool-proof link building strategies, and you’ll be on your way to building a successful blog that both users and Google will love.

Which of these link building best practices have you used?

BrickSeek: The Hidden Tool Online Consumers Use to Find Hidden Inventory Sales

Have you ever wanted a fast way to get the best deals in retail stores like Walmart, Home Depot, Target, and more?

Whether you’re just looking to save some money or you’re into retail arbitrage, the ability to easily check product inventory from the comfort of your home is something many people only dreamed about.

Until BrickSeek came along, that is.

What is BrickSeek, and how can it help you get the best deals on some of the most popular products?

What Is BrickSeek?

BrickSeek is an application that allows users to search for sales and clearance sales in retail shops in their area.

BrickSeek for consumers - logo

Launched in 2014, BrickSeek started as a website to help Lego enthusiasts find hard-to-find pieces—on and offline. The website quickly evolved into a massive platform that includes inventory information on just about every product stocked by retailers.

You can choose to use the web-based version or the mobile app as BrickSeek supports Android and iOS.

While BrickSeek doesn’t support all retail brands at the moment, they do have access to inventory for retailers like:

  • Target
  • Walmart
  • CVS
  • Home Depot
  • Macy’s
  • Lowes
  • Office Depot
  • Staples

BrickSeek uses product identification numbers like stock-keeping units (SKUs) and unique product codes (UPCs) to work its magic. With these, the software can find the best discount prices on specific products you want—for online and offline stores.

Besides showing you the best deals in your area, BrickSeek also shows the availability of all products stocked by most major retailers.

While you can use BrickSeek to browse store inventories, other features require you create a member account. Pricing starts at $9.99/month.

Why Should Consumers Use BrickSeek?

Now that you know what BrickSeek is, you’re probably wondering why you should even consider using the platform—especially the paid services.

There are two main reasons why you should use BrickSeek:

1. Saves Time (and Energy)

Tired of going from store to store looking for the best deal on products?

BrickSeek will take care of that for you with its inventory checker. With just a few clicks of a button, you can find out which stores offer the best deals. You can also learn whether they have the product in stock or not.

2. Saves Money

BrickSeek helps you save money by showing you the best deals on products. You also save money that you would have otherwise used to commute from one store to another.

Whether you’re a consumer or merchant, these two reasons are strong enough to make BrickSeek part of your tool kit.

How Does BrickSeek Work?

Thankfully, while it may seem like a daunting task to run through all the inventory of your favorite big box store, with BrickSeek, it isn’t. That’s because BrickSeek has a powerful inventory checker that digs into the inventory of the stores it supports.

From a user’s point of view, you have two options when it comes to using Brickseek to find deals:

1. Specific Search

To search for a specific product, you will need more information on the product than just its name. For best results, you’ll need metadata like the SKU, UPC, or model number of the product you’re looking for.

BrickSeek for consumers - using brickseek for specific search

BrickSeek also allows you to filter out products by zip code, so you get the deals closest to you.

Once you’ve entered the product information, click on the “Check Inventory” button. BrickSeek will then give you information on:

  • Local stores that have the product in stock.
  • Available prices and best deals on products.
  • Number of products in stock at each store.

Do note there may be some minor discrepancies in rare cases of miscounts or server lag after inventory has been updated.

2. Browsing for Products

Another way of using Brickseek is by simply browsing trending deals.

How Does BrickSeek for consumers Work - Browsing for Products

This function is particularly useful if you’re a small business that deals in retail arbitrage. You can use it to find products that are in the clearance section. BrickSeek allows you to search by trending deals (online and in-store) and by categories to make the search easier.

What Effect Do Tools Like BrickSeek Have on E-Commerce?

The world of e-commerce is rapidly evolving, all thanks to technological advances in the industry. There has never been a better time for entrepreneurs to start an e-commerce store as the setup has become easy and affordable.

However, one of the main challenges budding e-commerce store owners face is finding the right products to sell, at the right price.

That’s where tools like BrickSeek come in.

Whether you’re looking for stuff to sell on platforms like eBay, Amazon, or any other platform you use for e-commerce, tools like BrickSeek streamline the process of finding what to sell. You can easily compare prices without having to leave the comfort of your couch. As a result, you speed up the process and get the best deals. These are all benefits you can pass on to your customers, giving you a competitive edge.

However, tools like BrickSeek are a double-edged sword. While they help e-commerce store owners find and sell more products, they also help savvy shoppers cut out the middleman. A simple visit to the BrickSeek website is all it takes for consumers looking for a great deal in-store or online.

BrickSeek Features

BrickSeek started as a simple platform for finding Lego pieces. However, the platform has evolved into a powerful tool you can use to search through massive product inventories to find specific products, the best deals, and the local stores that stock them. To help you do that, BrickSeek has several nifty features. Here are some of the most prominent ones:

Inventory Checker

The inventory checker is by far the most used feature on the BrickSeek website.

brickseek for consumers: inventory checker feature

As noted earlier, this allows you to browse through the inventory of the retail stores featured on the platform.

Recent Stock Changes

BrickSeek’s recent stock update feature shows inventory updates like availability and price. A significant advantage of this feature is it helps you compare prices in different stores and locations. If you’re a consumer, this enables you to get the best deals. If you use BrickSeek for business purposes, it helps you decide how to price the items you buy for resale.

Markdowns by Store

As the name suggests, this members-only feature shows you items that have been marked down in stores near you. The number of items displayed is dependent on your membership level.

Brickseek for consumers: markdown feature

When you access each store’s markdown deals page on BrickSeek, you’ll get information on each product that has been marked down. Apart from the product name and description, this information includes:

  • previous and newest detected prices
  • date and timestamp of the recent detection
  • the manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP)
  • a stock status indicator

This information is essential in helping you know whether the product that’s been marked down is worth investing in.

Online Stock Alert

Is the product you’re looking for out of stock?

This is where the online stock alert feature comes in handy.

The online stock alert feature is reserved for users who have created an account with BrickSeek. This handy feature sends notifications when out-of-stock or hard-to-find items are available in a store near you. When a product you’re looking for is out of stock, BrickSeek will ask if you want to be alerted when the product is in stock.

For those in the retail arbitrage business, the online stock alert feature is a massive time-saver as you won’t have to hunt for a product physically. It also gives you an advantage over your competitors as you get notified first when popular and in-demand products arrive in stock.

With features like these, BrickSeek is definitely a tool you must include in your tool stack as an e-commerce store owner, especially if retail arbitrage is your primary business model.

Three Alternatives to BrickSeek You Must Know

As excellent a tool as BrickSeek may be, it’s always a good idea to look around for some alternatives. That’s why I want to make that search easier for you by highlighting some of the most popular BrickSeek alternatives.

Let’s get to them, shall we?

Dealspotr

Dealspotr is one of the most popular BrickSeek alternatives and has been around since 2015. Dealspotr is a platform that finds coupon codes, discount sales, and promotions run by e-commerce stores listed in their store directory.

brickseek for consumers - Alternatives to BrickSeek You Must Know - Dealspotr

Besides their software that scours for deals, Dealspotr also has a large community of users who edit and verify the deals posted on the platform. This helps ensure all coupons and deals are current and legitimate. Another reason Dealspotr is so popular with users is that it rewards them for posting legitimate deals.

Slickdeals

Another great BrickSeek alternative is Slickdeals.

Alternatives to BrickSeek for consumers - Slickdeals

Slickdeals is touted as the most trusted deals platform on the internet as real people source all deals. The community of deal seekers that power the platform is obsessed with uncovering the greatest deals and savings opportunities online.

What sets Slickdeals apart from other platforms is the vibrant community designed to make you feel like part of a tribe of like-minded people. Everyone on the platform can share, confirm, and comment on deals to make sure everyone benefits. You can also sign up to receive notifications of deals in your favorite categories.

PriceGrabber

Getting the best deals means finding the lowest-priced products. That’s exactly what PriceGrabber does.

Alternatives to BrickSeek for consumers - PriceGrabber

PriceGrabber is a price-comparison site that allows you to compare prices on products in almost every category in retail. Whether you’re a merchant looking for inventory or a savvy shopper looking for a great deal, PriceGrabber is an excellent platform to turn to.

BrickSeek for Consumers Conclusion

With retail e-commerce sales at $4.9 billion last year alone, there’s no better time than now to hop on the e-commerce bandwagon. To catch up to players who have been in the game for long, you need an ace up your sleeve.

BrickSeek might just be that ace you need to make your first e-commerce sale and many more.

Leverage the platform to find the best deals around, and you’ll soon grow a thriving e-commerce business. BrickSeek will also help you personalize your inventory as you use it to find out what your customers are looking for.

Have you ever used BrickSeek or its alternatives in your e-commerce business?

Is Getting “Google Guaranteed” Worth It?

Google has rolled out a new consumer protection feature called Google Guaranteed. Businesses advertising through Local Services Ads can apply for a Google Guaranteed qualification, offering extra reassurance to customers.

Google Guaranteed could be a powerful lead generation tool to help you stand out from your competitors.

The program helps showcase home service providers who have been pre-screened. With an easily visible green Google Guaranteed Badge showing a checkmark, these ads may draw customers’ notice more than others will. And it’s not just because of the eye-catching badge—it’s the knowledge they’re able to choose a business already certified by Google.

What should you know before applying? Let’s have a look at what Google Guaranteed is, who it benefits, and why you might want to consider it for your business.

What Is Google Guaranteed?

Google Guaranteed is a certification program created to increase customer confidence in local businesses. Customers who are vetting companies online can look for the Google Guaranteed Badge, which offers protection if something goes wrong.

Many businesses are already using Google’s Local Services Ads to generate leads for their companies through paid search efforts. The Google Guarantee offers help for businesses who want to draw more organic traffic instead.

Services booked through Local Services Ads are automatically insured up to a lifetime cap, which varies by location. Any customer booking this way has the comfort of knowing they can claim the amount of the invoice should they be dissatisfied with the service.

How to Tell If a Business Has Been Google Guaranteed

Google Guaranteed adds a green checkmark “badge” underneath the names of qualifying companies. If a customer uses an audio search on Google Assistant or Google Home instead of searching on a screen, there will be an audible confirmation of this guarantee.

Example of How Can Customers Tell If a Business Has Been Google Guaranteed

How Does Google Guaranteed Work?

If your business uses Local Services Ads, you can apply to the program by signing up for Local Services Ads and applying to be Google Guaranteed. If the service is available in your area and you receive certification, a badge or logo will be displayed next to your ad.

When you apply, Google will check your business license, insurance, and online reviews. They’ll also conduct background checks on employees—at no cost to you. Owners’ backgrounds are always checked, and other backgrounds are checked based on the nature of your business.  

If your company passes this screening, you’ll receive a badge to show customers Google has prequalified you.

If a customer is unhappy with your service, they can submit a claim to Google to be reimbursed for the amount of their invoice. Google will then reach out to you to learn more and may request additional information from the customer. You’ll have the opportunity to resolve things with your customer. If that doesn’t work, Google will decide on a fair resolution based on its discretion and findings.

What Does the Google Guaranteed Program Cover?

Google Guaranteed will cover customers the amount of the invoice in question up to $2000 in the US and Canada, with varying limits in other countries as the program expands.

Lifetime limits in different regions are as follows:

  • United States: $2,000 USD
  • Canada:  CAD $2,000
  • United Kingdom:  £1,500
  • Germany:  €1,500
  • France:  €1,500
  • Ireland:  €1,500
  • Italy:  €1,500
  • Spain:  €1,500
  • Belgium:  €1,500
  • Netherlands:  €1,500
  • Austria:  €1,500
  • Switzerland:  ₣2,000

What Isn’t Covered by Google Guaranteed?

There are limitations to the coverage that should be noted by both companies and customers. For instance, customers must have booked the work through Local Services Ads itself and claim reimbursement within 30 days of service completion.

The claim must be for the amount on the invoice for the original service performed, up to a lifetime maximum. It cannot include any additions, future projects, damages, or cancellations, and a customer’s dissatisfaction with the price is not considered a valid reason for a refund.

Is My Business Eligible for the Google Guaranteed Program?

If you’re eager to enroll, you may be in luck! Google Guaranteed has rolled out in many areas over the last couple of years, focusing on home services. The eligible industries for Google Guaranteed vary from region to region and may continue to change as the program expands. One of the first steps is to check eligibility to see if the program is available to you.

Google Guaranteed Program Eligibility

What Industries Are Eligible in the US?

In the USA, the following industries are eligible for Google Guaranteed: Appliance repair, auto glass, auto repair, carpet and upholstery cleaning, electrical, event planning, financial planning, garage door installation, home cleaning, HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning), junk removal, lawn care, locksmith services, pest control, pet grooming, photography, plumbing, roofing, tree services, water damage restoration, window cleaning, and window repair.

What Industries Are Eligible in Canada?

In Canada, Google Guaranteed covers HVAC companies, locksmith services, and plumbing businesses.

Does Google Guaranteed Cover All Professional Services?

The Google Guaranteed Program only covers home services for now. However, Google has a program called Google Screened, which covers professional services like financial planning, law, and real estate.

How Are Local Service Ads Related to Google Guaranteed?

The Local Services Ads program already offers you the ability to advertise to potential customers in your area through paid search.

Google Guaranteed is a feature of Local Service Ads intended to instill confidence in local businesses. It offers companies a way to potentially attract more organic traffic without investing the time and money needed for paid search engine marketing.

As a business owner, you may appreciate that it’s simpler to use, targets organic traffic, and costs you an easy-to-understand flat rate.

Is Google Guaranteed Worth It?

It depends on your business needs. You’ll need to decide if Google Guaranteed is worth the cost for your business, weighing the program’s cost and the time it will take to get and maintain the certification against the potential rewards.

You should also consider how much competition you typically have for your services. If you usually have to compete with a large number of other businesses, you’ll probably benefit more from having your ads highlighted.

How Does Google Guaranteed Benefit Businesses?

The Google Guaranteed Ads program offers a distinct way for businesses to rise to the top of search results, as they are displayed above the normal pay-per-click (PPC) Google Ads. Just keep in mind the ad format only allows you to show your company name, city, phone number, hours of operation, and customer rating.

What Does Google Guaranteed Offer Customers?

Google Guaranteed works to cut down on the confusion some experience when comparing local competitors by building customers’ trust in certified companies. The program acts as a consumer protection service, opening up a valuable avenue for customers to spend money with confidence. Vetting potential providers may become quicker and easier as customers know they have Google backing the quality.

Are There Any Drawbacks to the Google Guaranteed Program?

Applying to Google Guaranteed doesn’t result in an overnight acceptance, and you need to maintain your standing with the program. There are also costs associated with using the program, so any business should expect a bit of a learning curve to figure out how to measure results.

There is an in-depth certification process that includes background checks of some or all employees. Depending on the company’s size, this can take significant time to complete, so interested businesses should apply early and be patient while Google reviews their application.

It’s also worth noting this is a revenue source for Google, and they’re likely to expand it. While it may offer valuable benefits now, it will be interesting to see what happens in the future as more businesses sign up.

How will you stand out from the competition if they all get certified?

Is the Google Guaranteed Program Right for Your Business?

For many small businesses struggling to navigate the complicated world of pay-per-click search marketing, the Google Guaranteed Program could make a significant impact. It may allow you to spend less time worrying about keyword research and bidding strategies, so you could devote more of your time running your business.

While paid search can be a powerful tool, many businesses haven’t been able to devote the time or budget necessary to see a return on investment. While there is always expert digital marketing consulting available, those just getting started may want to try it out first.

How Much Does Getting Google Guaranteed Cost?

The program costs a base fee of $50 per month, for an annual cost of $600. However, there are also costs for every lead.

Google Guaranteed differs from pay-per-click. You’ll only pay when a customer calls or connects to engage your services, rather than paying each time a potential customer clicks on an ad.

Costs vary depending on your market and industry, but the average cost per Google Guaranteed lead seems to be about $25. Businesses are able to dispute leads that aren’t legitimate— for instance, if the customer is outside of the local area in your ad or if incomplete customer contact information is provided, preventing you from following up.

Similar programs have rolled out by other companies, such as Yelp’s Verified License, which you might compare with Google Guaranteed. Google’s new certification may resemble Yelp’s on the surface, but the Google Guaranteed program offers a powerful quality guarantee that Yelp doesn’t.

How to Set up Google Guaranteed for Your Business

To set up Google Guaranteed for your business, you’ll send in your application for consideration with Google.

You’ll indicate what country you’re in, what industry your business is in, and your zip code or postal code. This step will confirm if Google Guaranteed is available in your area, as mentioned above. Once that’s been confirmed, you can finish your application.

How to Get Ready for Google Business

If Google Guaranteed is not available in your area yet, there are still steps you can take to get ready for when it is. Ensure your business license and insurance are up to date. You should also check your Google reviews, encouraging your satisfied customers to review your business online, and address any negative reviews.

Maintain Your Google Guaranteed Standing

If you’ve been accepted into the Google Guaranteed Program, congratulations! However, your effort shouldn’t stop there. You’ll need to maintain the standards you established in order to receive the certification in the first place. These standards mean keeping your business license and insurance up to date. Monitor your Google reviews to address any issues, and continue to encourage your customers to provide reviews to begin with.

Conclusion

Google Guaranteed could be a powerful source of lead generation for businesses looking to grow. It may help small and medium-sized companies pull more organic traffic and compete without wading into paid search platforms.

Will you be signing your business up for Google Guaranteed?

The post Is Getting “Google Guaranteed” Worth It? appeared first on Neil Patel.

How To Use 3D Photos On Facebook For Your Business

Changing consumer behavior and evolving tech platforms require us to uncover new strategies to reach our customers.

One trend that presents just such an opportunity is 3D photos on Facebook.

Partially influenced by 3D technologies and mixed reality resurgence, 3D photos can help you capture attention and tell your brand’s story on Facebook.

What are the 3D Photos on Facebook?

3d photo facebook

3D photos allow you to view an image through three dimensions instead of two, so you can see things slightly around an image that would otherwise be out of view in a standard 2D photo.

For example, in a 3D photo of a person looking into the camera, you’ll see parts of the sides of their face, and slightly above their head.

3D photos allow you to explore an image by scrolling, tilting, and panning using your mouse or trackpad.

One important note: 3D photos are not to be confused with 360-degree images. The latter allows you to explore a scene in its entirety, but requires special equipment and a unique setup, which we won’t be discussing here.

How do 3D Photos on Facebook Work?

In short, a lot of funky, complex algorithms make them possible.

Developed by research scientist Johannes Kopf at Facebook, the algorithm works by analyzing the depth maps and tiny movements produced by your phone’s camera and motion detection system.

These depth maps are then processed and turned into 3D meshes, which create the final 3D photo.

Not all phones are capable of achieving this. Mid-range smartphones, such as the iPhone 7 and above, are needed to create 3D Photos.

Why Should You Care About 3D Photos on Facebook?

You may be skeptical about using 3D photos on Facebook. It may conjure images of other forms of 3D media, such as cinema or TV.

Those aren’t the best 3D media, and both of them failed to catch on. In recent years, though, artificial intelligence and augmented reality have begun to show promise.

However, 3D photos—particularly on Facebook—are a unique case.

There are a few reasons why you may want to use them for your business:

Disrupts Facebook Saturation

Facebook has been around for a while, which means that most brands and advertisers are already using it. More than 90 million small businesses use Facebook. As there is only a limited amount of attention span to go around, you must continuously compete to capture attention. 3D photos offer a powerful way to do this as they allow you to pattern innovatively interrupt the user’s attention.

Fights Limited Organic Reach

Facebook has reduced brands’ organic reach and is instead prioritizing posts from friends and family. With fewer opportunities to wow your audience, you need ways to stand out, such as 3D photos.

Provides A New Form of Storytelling

A 2D photo can tell a story, but a 3D photo can make that story come to life. 3D photos offer new ways to connect with your customers by opening up a new channel of creative storytelling. 

Brands are catching on to how effective this type of media can be on Facebook, but 3D photos haven’t been fully exhausted yet. They’re likely here to stay, and now is the perfect time to get the most out of them.

Can You Advertise With 3D Photos on Facebook?

Although 3D photos can be a powerful tool for organic content, they’re currently not available to use in Facebook ads.

Facebook hasn’t stated the reasons for this, and we don’t know when or if they’ll be available to use as boosted posts. 

However, it’s safe to assume that Facebook currently measures 3D photos’ performance on the platform. If they show promise and measurable user engagement, Facebook may allow advertisers to use 3D images at some point.

Who Should Use 3D Photos on Facebook?

Like any marketing channel or technique, the results you can expect will depend on your product, industry, and customers.

If you’re offering an intangible service such as management consultancy, there may not be many creative use cases that work in your space.

However, if you’re showcasing a visual product like a designer handbag, 3D photos can be a natural extension of your marketing strategy.

Here are some industries that can benefit from 3D photos:

Fashion

3D photos can help inform consumer decision-making when buying clothes and accessories. It’s often difficult to get a feel of such items online, and seeing them in 3D can help.

Film

3D Photos can also be a natural extension of animation. They can help bring an animated character to life without having to animate.

Travel

If you’re selling a vacation destination, making the image more immersive in 3D can help the user visualize themselves being there. Scenery, ambiance, and colorful visuals in exotic locations can come to life.

Entertainment

Other immersive experiences, such as festivals or theatre, can use 3D photos to provide a better glimpse of what they have to offer.

Real Estate

Selling a home typically starts with attractive visuals, which help prospective buyers imagine living there. 3D photos can enhance this effect.

Visually heavy industries can use 3D photos to their best effect. Also, industries that offer immersive experiences can use 3D images to replicate their value proposition more closely.

How to Post 3D Photos on Facebook

If you decide your business can benefit from using 3D photos on Facebook, here are the steps to post them.

Get the Right Equipment

Luckily, Facebook has made posting 3D photos accessible to everyone. You won’t need any fancy camera equipment.

All you need is a mid-range smartphone that has single or dual-lens, portrait mode capabilities. An iPhone 7 or equivalent (and above) is suitable to take 3D photos.

Decide on Marketing Concepts

If you want to get the most out of 3D photos on Facebook, you must view it as part of your marketing strategy instead of a gimmick.

The concepts you come up with will require some creativity and application to your industry, but here are some general ideas:

  • Show Your Office: Take a picture of your team at work, smiling into the camera to build trust and familiarity with your brand.
  • Showcase Your Products: If your products or services are visual, you can showcase the best parts in 3D. For instance, if you’re advertising a new home, you could take a 3D photo of an antique or furniture piece.
  • Offer Special Promotions: You can also use 3D photos to amplify a promotion. Saving your 3D pictures for when you want to capture attention preserves the novelty effect.

When taking 3D photos, keep the backdrop in mind.

Typically, the Facebook 3D photo tool performs best if there is an object at the forefront. Having various other background depths also helps.

Images with high color contrast work well too. 

Take Your 3D Photos

Use appropriate lighting and a contrasting backdrop, then put your camera in portrait mode.

Take the photo, and that’s it! Your phone’s camera and the Facebook algorithm will do the rest when you upload the image.

Using Existing Non-3D Photos

You can also turn existing photos into 3D photos. Facebook has taught their artificial intelligence (AI) to create 3D structures from 2D images, so you can upload any image you already have.

Keep in mind that although the effect can be quite convincing, the app is essentially “guessing” what the 3D image would look like. This means that there could be some blur, which you’ll need to check before publishing.

Upload Your Photo

This is a pretty straightforward process:

  1. Navigate to your business page via the Facebook app.
  2. Tap “Publish” to create a new post.
  3. Choose “Photo/Video” and select your image.
  4. Tap “Done.”
  5. Tap “Make 3D” at the top of the photo.
  6. Wait for Facebook to convert your image into 3D.
  7. Preview the 3D effect by panning and tilting.
  8. Add post text in line with your marketing strategy.
  9. Tap “Publish” again.

Your 3D photo and post will then be published to your page.

Facebook offers these tips for creating 3D photo posts:

  • 3D photos can’t be edited.
  • If you’d like to share a 3D photo, you can’t share multiple photos.
  • 3D photos can’t be in photo albums.
  • 3D photos can’t be boosted or used in ads at this time.

Examples of 3D Photos on Facebook

To help get your brain buzzing with ideas and possibilities, take a look at how some pages are using 3d photos on Facebook:

Now, you can view your favorite furniture up-close and easily interact with Wayfair items before you buy! How? We’re…

Posted by Wayfair on Tuesday, February 20, 2018

Wayfair has created a 3D rendering to allow their customers to view and interact with their furniture before buying it.

Omnivirt created this 3D Game of Thrones image, an excellent example of how these photos can work in marketing promotions.

Game of Thrones 3d photos facebook

The character’s cinematic effects are amplified, making him come to life and almost jump out of the screen.

This Facebook video showcases the use of 3D photos in a real environment. In this way, you can turn an otherwise standard image into a more attention-grabbing media form.

Conclusion

3D photos on Facebook are an innovative way to help your posts stand out in a crowded news feed.

Although 3D photos may not move the needle in any significant way due to the limited reach of organic posts, they’re a useful tool in a holistic marketing campaign.

In the future, 3D photos may become one of the most effective ways to advertise on Facebook. We’ll have to wait and see what Facebook decides.

Have you used 3D photos on your brand’s Facebook page?

The post How To Use 3D Photos On Facebook For Your Business appeared first on Neil Patel.

Business Credit Card Balance Transfer

Need a business credit card balance transfer? Then look no further.

The Best Business Credit Card Balance Transfer

We researched a lot of company credit cards for you. So, here are our top picks, and more than a business credit card balance transfer.

Per the SBA, company credit card limits are a whopping 10 – 100 times that of personal cards!

This demonstrates you can get a lot more funds with business credit. And it also shows you can have personal credit cards at retailers. So, you would now have an extra card at the same retail stores for your company.

And you will not need collateral, cash flow, or financial data to get company credit.

Business Credit Card Benefits

Perks can differ. So, make sure to pick the perk you would prefer from this variety of options.

Reliable Low APR Business Credit Card Balance Transfer

Discover it® Cash Back for a Business Credit Card Balance Transfer

Have a look at the Discover it® Cash Back card. There is a 10.99% introductory APR for six months from date of first business credit card balance transfer. So, this is for any business credit card transfer under this offer which post to your account by January 10, 2019.

After the introductory APR expires, your APR will be 14.99% to 23.99%. So, this is based on your creditworthiness. Your APR will vary with the market, which is based on the Prime Rate.

Details

You can earn 5% cash back at different places each quarter. So, these are establishments like gas stations, grocery stores, restaurants, Amazon.com, or wholesale clubs. But this is up to the quarterly maximum each time you activate. Also, automatically get unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.

You will get an unlimited dollar-for-dollar match of all the cash back you have earned at the end of your first year, automatically.

Get it here: https://www.discover.com/credit-cards/cash-back/it-card.html 

Remarkable Business Credit Cards with No Annual Fee 

Uber Visa Card 

Check out the Uber Visa Card. Uber is the very first ride-sharing service to offer a credit card, in a partnership with Visa and Barclays.

The card offers 4% back per dollar spent at restaurants, takeout and bars, including UberEATS. Also, get 3% back on hotel, airfare and vacation home rentals. And get 2% back on online purchases. 

So, this includes retailers and subscription services like Uber and Netflix. And get 1% back on all other purchases. Each percent/point has a value of 1 cent. Redeem points for cash back, gift cards or Uber credits directly within the app.

By spending at least $500 in the initial 90 days, users can earn a $100 sign-up bonus. Cardholders spending a minimum of $5,000 yearly are eligible to receive a $50 credit toward online subscription services. 

Details

If you pay your cellular phone bill with this card, you are insured up to $600 for cellphone damage or theft.

Cardholders are eligible for exclusive access to specific events and offers. Uber anticipates most of these offers will be available in major cities like New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago and DC. There is no foreign transaction fee.

But there is no introductory rate. So, the APR is a variable 16.99%, 22.74% or 25.74%, based on your creditworthiness. Cardholders with less than stellar credit will be on the higher end of the range. 

Also, there are restrictions on Uber credits. To redeem points as credits within the Uber app, accrue at least 500 points, or $5. Cardholders can convert a maximum of 50,000 points, or $500, per day.

Get it here: https://www.uber.com/c/uber-credit-card/ 

Costco Anywhere Visa® Business Card by Citi 

Not taking Uber? Then you’ll want to fill your gas tank somehow. Why not do so with the Costco Anywhere Visa® Business Card by Citi?

This card earns cash back with every purchase. Earn 4% cash back on the first $7,000 spent on eligible gas purchases annually (1% after that). Get 3% cash back at restaurants and on eligible travel purchases. Also, earn 2% cash back at Costco and Costco.com. And earn 1% cash back on all other purchases.

So, keep in mind: the $0 annual fee is only for Costco members. And an active Costco membership is required. Cardholders will get access to damage and theft purchase protection, extended warranty coverage and travel accident insurance.

Also, there is no sign-up bonus available with this card.

Get it here: https://www.citi.com/credit-cards/credit-card-details/citi.action?ID=Citi-costco-anywhere-visa-business-credit-card

Ink Business Cash℠ Credit Card

Check out the Ink Business Cash ℠ Credit Card. Companies can get cash back with each purchase. Spend $3,000 in the initial three months from account opening. And you’ll get a $500 bonus cash back.

There is a $0 yearly fee with a 0% introductory APR for 12 months on purchases and business credit card balance transfer. Thereafter, the APR is a 15.24 – 21.24% variable. 

The card features travel and purchase coverage benefits. So, this includes an auto rental collision damage waiver and extended warranty protection.

Details

Earn extra cash back on business categories. So, these include office supply stores, telecommunications, gas stations and restaurants.

Note: this card has a business credit card balance transfer fee. Pay 5% of the amount transferred or $5, whichever is greater. Also, there is a foreign transaction fee of 3%.

Get it here: https://creditcards.chase.com/small-business-credit-cards/ink-cash 

United MileagePlus Explorer Business Card

Get a good look at the United MileagePlus Explorer Business Card.

Earn 2 miles/dollar with United and at restaurants, gas stations and office supply stores. All other purchases earn 1 mile/dollar. Earn a 50,000-mile sign-up bonus after spending $3,000 in the initial three months from account opening. 

Benefits include priority boarding, a free first checked bag for you and a companion on the same reservation.

Details

Also, get two United Club passes annually. And get hotel and resort perks including upgrades. On top of that, get early check-in and late checkout. And get an auto rental collision damage waiver. 

And also, get baggage delay insurance, lost luggage reimbursement, trip cancellation and interruption insurance. Finally, get trip delay reimbursement, purchase protection, price protection and concierge service.

After the first year, the card has an annual fee of $95. APR of 17.99% – 24.99%, based on creditworthiness.

Get it here: https://creditcards.chase.com/small-business-credit-cards/united-mileageplus-explorer-business 

Starwood Preferred Guest® Business Credit Card from American Express

Another possibility is the Starwood Preferred Guest Business Credit Card from American Express. 

This credit card is for those who stay at Starwood Preferred Guest and Marriott hotels often. Get six points per dollar of eligible purchases at participating SPG and Marriott Rewards hotels.

And get four points per dollar at American restaurants, American gas stations, and on American purchases for shipping. 

Also, get four points to the dollar on wireless telephone services purchased directly from US service providers. For all other eligible purchases, earn two points per dollar.

Details

Earn 75,000 bonus points when you spend $3,000 in the first three months of account opening. Benefits include free in-room premium internet access, Sheraton Club lounge access, and purchase protection. 

Plus, you get car rental loss and damage insurance. And you get baggage insurance. There is also a global assistance hotline. And there is a roadside assistance hotline. And get travel accident insurance and extended warranty coverage.

The biggest issue is the yearly fee. There is a $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then it’s $95 thereafter. Plus, there is no 0% introductory APR. Instead, there is a 17.74 – 26.74% variable APR

Get it here: https://www.americanexpress.com/us/credit-cards/business/business-credit-cards/spg-amex-starwood-credit-card 

Company Credit Cards with 0% APR – Pay Absolutely Nothing!

JetBlue Plus Card

Check out the JetBlue Plus Card for yet another offer of a 0% introductory APR

Earn six points/dollar on JetBlue purchases, two points/dollar at eating establishments and grocery stores. And get one point/dollar on all other purchases. 

Details

Spend $1,000 in the first 90 days and pay the yearly fee. So, then you can get 40,000 bonus points. New cardholders get a 12-month, 0% initial APR on any business credit card balance transfer made within 45 days of account opening.

After that, the variable APR on purchases and any business credit card balance transfer is 17.99%, 21.99% or 26.99%, based upon creditworthiness. Benefits include a free first checked bag and 50% savings on in-flight purchases.

There is a $99 yearly fee for this card.

Get it here: https://cards.barclaycardus.com/cards/jetblue-card/   

Secure Business Credit Cards for Average Credit

Capital One® Spark® Classic for Business 

For average credit, we like the Capital One Spark Classic for Business. It has no yearly fee. There are cash-back rewards. The card gets an unlimited 1% cash back on all purchases. There is an annual fee of $0.

With this card, you will get benefits including an auto rental collision damage waiver, and purchase security. And you also get extended warranty coverage. And you get travel and emergency assistance services.

But KEEP IN MIND: the ongoing APR is 24.74% variable APR. And the penalty APR is even higher, 31.15%. Also, there is no sign-up bonus. In addition, this card reports monthly to personal credit. It does report to business credit as well, but they generally require a personal credit check and will always report to personal credit.

Get it here: https://www.capitalone.com/small-business/credit-cards/spark-classic/ 

Establish business credit fast with our research-backed guide to 12 business credit cards and lines.

Terrific Cards for Cash Back

Capital One® Quicksilver® Card 

Look at the Capital One® Quicksilver® Card. It offers flat-rate rewards of 1.5% on all purchases. There are no limits to the amount of cash back rewards which cardholders can earn. Also, the card has a $0 yearly fee.

New cardholders have a 0% APR on purchases and any business credit card balance transfer for the first 15 months after opening the account. And then they have a 14.74 – 24.74% (variable) APR after that. 

A cash bonus of $150 is on offer for those who make at the very least $500 in purchases within 3 months of account opening.

Details

Also, cash back rewards do not expire for the life of the account. And there is no limit to how much you can earn.

This credit card also offers travel accident insurance. And you get an auto rental collision damage waiver. There are no foreign transaction fees. And there is extended warranty coverage.

Downsides are the flat reward rate, not allowing for any more than that. And the higher APR after the first 15 months.

Get it here: https://www.capitalone.com/credit-cards/quicksilver/ 

Establish business credit fast with our research-backed guide to 12 business credit cards and lines.

Credit Builder Company Credit Cards – Make Your Credit Surge!

Discover it® Student Cash Back

Be sure to look at the Discover it® Student Cash Back card. It has no yearly fee. The credit card also offers a six-month introductory period of 0% APR on purchases. And there is an APR of 14.99 – 23.99% variable on all purchases after that period.

One distinct feature is that it provides an incentive for students to maintain good grades with a $20 statement credit. If scholars earn a GPA of 3.0 or better each school year, the card will award the $20 statement credit annually for up to five years.

Details

Use this credit card to build personal credit. While this is a personal credit card versus a company credit card, for new credit users, their FICO scores will be vital. And this card provides an excellent way to raise FICO while also getting rewards. Better personal credit can also, often, be the key to unlocking online lending.

You can earn 5% cash back at different places each quarter such as grocery stores, gas stations, restaurants or Amazon.com up to the quarterly maximum. After that, this credit card offers unlimited 1% cash back on all purchases.

In the initial year, all cash back rewards are matched 100%.

Downsides include a cash advance fee of either $10 or 5% of the amount of each cash advance, whichever is greater. And though they waive the first late payment fee, a fee of up to $37 applies on all other late payments. There is also a returned payment fee of up to $37.

Get it here: https://www.discover.com/credit-cards/cash-back/it-card.html 

Small Business Credit Cards for Luxurious Travel Points

IHG ® Rewards Club Premier Credit Card

Consider the IHG ® Rewards Club Premier Credit Card. it gets hotel rewards worldwide. For each dollar spent at participating IHG hotels, earn 10 points. Get two points per dollar spent at gas stations, grocery stores and restaurants. 

Plus, all other purchases earn one point. New cardholders can get an 80,000-point sign-up bonus when they spend $2,000 in the first three months of account opening.

Details

This card provides a free one-night hotel stay annually. Plus, there is a variety of benefits like travel and purchase coverage and an upgrade to Platinum Elite status with the IHG Rewards Club. The club offers complimentary room upgrades when available and guaranteed room availability.

The biggest issue is that the card does not offer a zero percent APR introductory rate. And the standard APR is 17.99 – 24.99% variable. Also, the annual fee is $89.

Get it here: https://creditcards.chase.com/a1/ihg/premiernaep 

Marriott Rewards® Premier Plus Credit Card

This card earns six points/dollar spent at participating Marriott and SPG hotels. And get two points/dollar on all other purchases. 

Spend $3,000 in the first three months from account opening and get two free night awards (each has a value of up to 35,000 points). 

Cardholders get access to perks including a free one-night stay every year after account anniversary. Also get travel and purchase protection. So, this includes free standard in-room Wi-Fi and priority late checkout.

Details

Perks include baggage delay reimbursement, and lost luggage reimbursement. There is also trip delay reimbursement. And there is purchase protection. Plus, there are concierge service and automatic Silver Elite status, which includes a 20% bonus on points. 

Spend $35,000 each account year and be upgraded to Gold Elite status. So, that includes a complimentary room upgrade, free daily breakfast and 4 PM late checkout.

There is an annual fee of $95. The APR is a 17.99– 24.99% variable.

Get it here: https://creditcards.chase.com/marriott/apply 

Unbeatable Cards for Jackpot Rewards

Ink Business Preferred ℠ Credit Card

Get a look at the Ink Business Preferred Credit Card from Chase. Cardholders earn 3 points for every dollar spent on travel, shipping, internet, cable, phone and qualifying advertising with the card. So, this is up to $150,000 each year. And all other purchases earn an unlimited one point per dollar spent.

This is a Visa credit card.

Cardholders get benefits like purchase protection, trip cancellation or interruption insurance. They also get cellphone protection. And they get extended warranty coverage. And they get an auto rental collision damage waiver.

Details

Get 80,000 bonus points when you spend $5,000 in the first 3 months from account opening. There is an annual fee of $95. You can add employee cards at no additional cost.

This card only offers 3 points per dollar to a limit of $150,000 a year. So, this is for travel, shipping, internet, cable, phone and qualifying advertising. All other purchases earn an unlimited flat rate of one point per dollar. And there is no introductory APR

Get it here: https://creditcards.chase.com/small-business-credit-cards/ink-business-preferred 

Establish business credit fast with our research-backed guide to 12 business credit cards and lines.

The Best Business Credit Card Balance Transfer for YouBalance Transfer Biz Cards Credit Suite

Your outright best business credit cards hinge on your credit history and scores.

Only you can choose which features you want and need. So, make sure to do your homework. What is excellent for you could be disastrous for somebody else.

And, as always, make certain to establish credit in the recommended order for the best, quickest benefits.

The post Business Credit Card Balance Transfer appeared first on Credit Suite.

Just Funded… $75,000 in Unsecured Credit

It’s always nice getting MORE money than you were hoping for!

Sean approached us looking for $50,000 to build his business credit. So far he’s received $75,000 in unsecured credit, and with his finance blueprint we worked up for him he’ll be getting another $75,000 in less than 6 months.

Click Here to see how much funding you can get for your business.

The post Just Funded… $75,000 in Unsecured Credit appeared first on ROI Credit Builders.